Drying apparatus.



No. 791.803. PATENTEDJUNE 6,1905.

n. J. MUL'EAN.

, DRYING APPARATUS. APPLICATION `:FILED 00T. 6`, 1904.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

Patented J' une 6, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

DOUGLAS JERROLD MACLEAN, CF MONTREAL, CANADA.

DRYING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATEON forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,803, dated June 6, 1905.

I Application filed October 6, 1904. Serial No. 227,368. i

T all wil/.0m t may concern:

Be it known that I, DOUGLAS J ERRoLD MAC- LEAN, residing in the city of Montreal, in the lates particularly to means adapted to be employed in drying leaf-tobacco, either in separate leaves or in hands; and it consists in certain features of novelty in the construction of the apparatus hereinafter described,l all as hereinafter more fully described, and specificl ally pointed out in the claims.

The object of the invention is to provide a y rotatable drying apparatus which may be used in conjunction with a blast of air directed from the interior thereof to its exterior in such manner that tobacco secured upon the outer face of the rotatable drum hereinafter referred to shall be subjected to a blast of air' which performs the double function of cleansing the tobacco by freeing it from dust, &c., and drying the leaves.

In the annexed drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, Figure l is a side elevational view shown partly in longitudinal section. Fig. Q is an end elevational'view looking at one end of the machine. Fig. 3 is an end elevational view looking toward the opposite end thereof. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken through one ofthe slats hereinafter referred to, showing the secur- 'ing-clip in position thereon; and Fig. 5 is a broken view illustrating one of the slats with a clip secured thereon and showing the end casting carrying the trunnion-support for Isaid slat.

Referring to the parts in detail, A and B are wheels or disks having preferablyv closed central portions or webs and provided with the-angular anges A', as best shown in the sectional portion of Figl.

C C are four double cross braces or stays, which meet approximately centrally of the drum, hereinafter indicated, and arebolted lo; gtherwise secured to the wheels or disks D D are webs which are connected with the disks A B and which extend inwardly therefrom, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3', to which webs the cross braces or stays are attached'. i

' E E are horizontal slats or bars, which are provided at their ends with castings e', which castings are provided with trunnions G, which are set into corresponding sockets in the wheels or disks A.

Secured upon the slats or bars E are numerous clips F, which are shown in detail in Figs. A

4 and 5, which clips serve as securing means whereby the tobacco to be dried may be clamped in position upon the exterior of the drum formed by the combination of the disks A B and bars or slats E. It will be noted that the slats E are spaced apart so as to provide intermediate perimetrical openings E', extending substantially the length of the drum, through which openings air may pass freely from the interior to the exterior of the drum.

Secured upon the wheels or disks before referred to, and preferably bolted or otherwise secured in juxtaposition to the angular flanges A', are radial flanges H, which extend upwardlybeyond the slats E and clips F, thereby serving as guiding means to keep tobacco held by the clips F from overhanging the ends of the drum.,

The wheels or disks A and B are respectively provided with hubs or journals cr and b, which serve as supporting means, which supporting means are hollowed for the purpose hereinafter indicated.

The journals cr o are supported on pedestals J J, which rest upon the base-plate K, and said pedestals may be of any preferred construction adapted to serve as supporting means for said drum. n

The journal a is hollow, as best shown in Fig. l, to provide a passagel for the blast-conduit L, which extends through said journal into the interior of the drum, and the journal bis hollow to permit the tube M to pass there- IOO through, which tube M is projected into the interior of the drum suiciently far to serve as a support for the inner end of the blastconduit L and the discharge-nozzle N, which forms the end portion of said blast-conduit. The tube M is riveted to the nozzle N and is provided at its outer end with an annular fiange O, which abuts against the pedestal J and is provided with the arc-shaped slots P. through which pass the set-screws P', said screws serving as securing means for locking the tube M in predetermined positions within the limits of .said slots I), whereby the blastnozzle N may be rotated within the drum to change the direction of the blast of air projected therethrough toward the slots E. It willbe noted that the said blast-nozzle N is directed toward the upper interior portion of the drum and it will be evident that if a blast of air from the blower R is forced through the pipe L and blast-nozzle N it will serve to project the free ends of tobacco-leaves away from the drum when such leaves come into approximate alinement with said nozzle.

Supported by one of the pedestals J is a shaft-supporting bracket X, within which is supported the shaft Lupen which is carried the main driving-pulley. S, connected by the beltS with the fan R. Upon the shaft (Z is also carried the main driving-pulley T, which is actuated bythe driving-belt T from any suitable source of power. Upon the shaft d is also carried a friction pulley U, which bears against the peripheral face of the larger friction-pulley V, which is carried upon the shaft e.

Upon the same shaft e with the pulley Vis asmallfriction-wheel W, which is adapted to bear against the iiange A' of the drum, whereby upon rotation of the main driving-pulley T said last-mentioned friction-pulley will be driven in contact with said flange A', thereby rotating the drum upon its supports.

It will be evident that a gearing may be substituted for the friction-pulleys described;

but I prefer to use the pulleys, as I consider it a better construction.

rIhe shaft e referred to is carried in a supporting-bracket Y, which, like the bracket X, is carried upon one of the pedestals J in proximity to the flange A, and set-screws project through suitable lugs on the pedestal into said brackets to serve as adjusting means whereby said brackets may be adjusted approximately vertically of the machine for Well-understood purposes.

Cooperating with the fiange A is a brake Z. preferably of wood, which brake is adapted to bear against the peripheral face of said flange to serve as a means for checking the speed thereof. This brake may be of any preferred construction, but preferably comprises the lever L, the pivoted connecting-rod t', and pivoted supporting cross-rodj, which is pivoted at j upon the pedestal J.

7c is a spring-hook adapted to snap over the lever t, so that the brake may be applied and the drum held in any desired position when not in operation.

Z represents handles secured to the flange B of the wheel or disk B, and said handles are adapted to serve as means for turning the drum manually when desired.

In the operation of the machine the springclips F serve as supporting means for the tobacco-leaves, and a sufiicient supply of such leaves is secured in position to substantially cover the entire area of the drum, whereupon power is applied and the drum is slowly rotated by means of the friction driving means referred to, and a blast of air is directed from the blower R through the discharge-nozzle N to the upper inner portion of the drum. Assuming that the drum rotates continuously in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2, it will be evident that tobacco-leaves will be lifted by the blast from the peripheral face of the drum at approximately the time when they will change their position under the influence of gravity in their passage around with the drum, and it is preferred that the blast be directed toward this particular portion of the drum, as it is believed that the blast will be most effective when directed in this manner, said blast passing from the discharge-nozzle N through the perimetrical openings in the drum and exerting its funetion in drying and cleansing the tobaccoleaves.

It will be obvious that the blower R may by any suitable conduit (not shown) be connected with a source of heat, and a blast of air at any predetermined temperature may be carried through said blower and by means of the conduit L and blast-nozzle N 'be directed against the tobacco-leaves for the purpose of more quickly drying such leaves if it shall be found desirable, though quite probably it will be found that a blast of air at approximately the temperature of the atmosphere will be quite sufhcient for the purpose under normal conditions.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawings the preferred form of my invention, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise form shown, for many of the details may be changed in form or position without affecting the operativeness or utility of my invention, and I therefore reserve the right to make all such modifications as are included within the scope of the following claims or of mechanical equivalents to the structures set forth.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. In a drying apparatus, a drum having perimetrical openings,spring-actuated clamps arranged exteriorly upon such drum, a hollow shaft extending into the drum, and a blastconduit communicating with such shaft.

TOD

IOS

IIO

Q. In a drying apparatus, a drum having perimetrical openings, vsecuring means arranged upon the exterior of such drum, a hollow shaft extending into the drum, a blastconduit communicating .with such shaft, and a blast-nozzle directed above the axis of said drum.

3. In a drying apparatus, a drum having closed heads and perimetrical openings, securing means arranged upon the exterior of such drum, a hollow shaft extending into the drum, andfa blast-conduit communicating with such sha t.

4. In a drying apparatus, a drum havingi closed heads and perimetrical openings, clamping means arranged exteriorly of said drum, an adjustable blast-conduit projected into .said drum, and a discharge-nozzle thereon adapted to direct a blast toward the upper portion of the drum.

5. In a drying apparatus, a drum having closed heads, annular anges projecting from said heads and perimetrical openings, clamping means arranged exteriorly of said drum, an adjustable blast-conduit projected into said drum, and a discharge-nozzle thereon adapted to direct a blast toward the upper portion of the drum.

6. In a drying apparatus, a drum having annularly-langed heads, with perimetrical openings between said heads, a longitudinally-projecting flange substantially concentric with the axis of said drum, an adjustable blast-conduit entering the drum, and a blast-nozzle connected with said adjustable conduit.

7. In a drying apparatus, a drum having perimetrical openings therethrough, clamps arranged between said'openings, a hollow supporting-shaft entering one end of said drum and terminating therein, a supplemental supporting-shaft coperating therewith, a discharge-nozzle connected with said hollow shaft and means for rotating said drum.

8.'In a drying apparatus, a drum having perimetrical openings therethrough, clamps secured upon the exterior of said drum between said openings, a hollow blast-conducting shaft entering said drum, adischarge-nozzle directed toward some of said openings above the axis of the drum and means for rotating the drum.

9. In a tobacco-drying machine, supporting means, a drum comprising flanged heads with slats connecting said heads, rotatable on said supporting means, securing means on said slats, a blast-conduit entering saiddrumand driving means coperating therewith.

l0. In a tobacco-drying machine, supporting means, a drum rotatable thereupon, said drum comprising flanged heads with slats connecting said heads, securing-clamps on said slats exterior of the drum and ablast-conduit entering said drum.

11. In a drying apparatus, a slotted drum, said drum having head members, a blast-conduit extending through one of said head members, a blast-nozzle at an angle to said conduit and a support for said conduit extending through the opposite head member.

12. In a drying apparatus, a slotted drum, said drum having head members, clamping means arranged exterior to said drum, a blastconduit extending'through one of said head members, a blast-nozzle at an angle to said conduit and a su pport for said conduit extending through the opposite head member.

13. In a drying'apparatus, a slotted drum, said drum having head members, a blast-conduit extending through one of said head mem.- bers, a blast-nozzle at an angle to said conduit, and directed above the axis of said drum, and4 a support for said conduit extending through the opposite head member.

In witnesswhereof I have hereunto set my hand'in the presence of two witnesses.

D. JERROLD MAGLEAN.

Witnesses: F. H. GIBBs, H. R. ST. CHARLES. 

